Role

:

Ensemble

Genre

:

Chamber

 

The Concord String Quartet was a renowned classical music ensemble that was active from 1971 to 1987. The quartet was formed in 1971 by four young musicians who had recently graduated from the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. The founding members of the quartet were Mark Sokol (violin), Andrew Jennings (violin), John Kochanowski (viola), and Norman Fischer (cello). The quartet took its name from the town of Concord, Massachusetts, where they gave their first public performance. The group quickly gained a reputation for their technical virtuosity and their ability to interpret a wide range of classical music repertoire. They were particularly known for their performances of contemporary music, and they commissioned and premiered many new works by American composers. One of the highlights of the Concord String Quartet's early career was their performance at the 1972 Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont. The festival was a gathering of some of the world's most talented young musicians, and the Concord String Quartet's performance was widely praised. The quartet was invited back to the festival in subsequent years, and they became regular performers at Marlboro. In 1976, the Concord String Quartet won the Naumburg Chamber Music Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the field of chamber music. The award recognized the quartet's outstanding musicianship and their contributions to the world of classical music. The quartet's win brought them national attention, and they began to receive invitations to perform at major concert halls and music festivals around the world. Over the course of their career, the Concord String Quartet performed at many of the world's most prestigious concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center. They also toured extensively in Europe, Asia, and South America, and they were known for their dynamic and engaging performances. One of the highlights of the Concord String Quartet's career was their performance of the complete cycle of Beethoven's string quartets. The quartet performed the cycle over the course of several years, and their performances were widely praised for their technical precision and emotional depth. The quartet's recording of the Beethoven cycle, released in 1983, is still considered one of the definitive recordings of the work. In addition to their performances of classical music, the Concord String Quartet was also known for their collaborations with other artists. They worked with a wide range of musicians, including jazz pianist Chick Corea, folk singer Joan Baez, and composer Philip Glass. These collaborations helped to expand the quartet's audience and introduce classical music to new audiences. Despite their success, the Concord String Quartet faced challenges in the 1980s. The quartet's members had been playing together for over a decade, and they began to feel the strain of touring and performing together. In 1987, the quartet announced that they would be disbanding at the end of the year. The Concord String Quartet's legacy lives on through their recordings and their impact on the world of classical music. They were known for their technical virtuosity, their commitment to contemporary music, and their engaging performances. Their recordings of the Beethoven string quartets and their collaborations with other artists continue to be celebrated by classical music fans around the world.

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